Customer Reviews

Robert E. Lee: Lessons in Leadership (Great Generals)

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This is a difficult review for me to write. I have the highest respect for the author and have enjoyed his books for years. He consistently produces quality books on a variety of Civil War subjects, winning a number of well-deserved prizes. This background and his knowledge are on display in this short biography. However, they are dragged down by several problems. First, the author admits three of the 13 chapters are adapted from prior work and the book lacks a cohesive narration. Due to space limitations, we have very little linkage between campaigns giving the feel of a series of essays. With so much of the book adapted from other works, this might be the case. Second, many of the major questions on Lee are never addressed or the simplest answer is presented as the only option. Third, there are few footnotes and many of them reference Douglas Southall Freeman's work on Lee. Chapter 4 has nine footnotes; seven are from Freeman's book. Chapter 9 with 41 footnotes, uses eight sources. Lastly, this book is printed on some of the cheapest paper I have ever seen in a hardback book. The dust jacket is a better quality paper than the book. This is a book that I would be embarrassed to give as a gift.
What works is the series of essays by Noah Andre Trudeau. What fails are the sources and the physical appearance of the book.

In the foreword to the book General Wesley Clark comments that as a child the virtues of Lee were extolled "every February." February? No day in that month has any association with Robert E. Lee! Did Gen. Clark mean January, the month of Lee's birth? Apparently this is indeed what he meant. Why did the person invited to write the foreword to this book not know when Lee was born? Why did an editor not catch this clumsy and basic mistake? The fact that this blatant error slipped by the writers and editors of this book is an indication of the poor quality of the research involved.

Trudeau has nothing to say about Lee after Gettysburg. It is a fact that conducting a successful defense against a larger force is one of the most difficult of military tasks. Yet Trudeau omits the skillful maneuvering Lee engaged in to block the Army of the Potomac in its move south; Trudeau offers no analysis of Lee's use of the offensive as part of that defensive campaign. For Trudeau the war ended on July 4, 1863, when Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia south from Gettysburg. This is a major weakness which should have caused the editors of the series to reject the manuscript and either tell Trudeau to finish the job or, if he could not do so, assign the task to someone who understands the full scope of military leadership.

This is a very weak book.

Robert E. Lee by Noah Andre Trudeau is an excellent short biography of the career and leadership of one of the war's finest gentleman warriors. While not heavy in detail, it provides some details and analysis left out of many longer biographies, putting the pieces together, from a non-traditional viewpoint, that of the South. Many biographies and civil war histories are written from the perspective of the North. Trudeau tells Lee's story, with a balanced approach neither painting Lee with the unreasonable strokes of pure genius, nor paying undue attention to his failures. Lee is portrayed as an exceptionally charismatic leader capable of inspiring great confidence and great heroism in his men, but one who also possesses occasional weaknesses and is capable of errors in judgment. Lee is also portrayed as a man of great integrity, forced to choose between competing loyalties. I found this particular biography to be a great pleasure to read, and highly recommend it as additional reading along with longer and more detailed writings.

I have bought 8 of the books in this series - this being the 9th. All have been good reads as far as well written, factual and enjoyable to read. The only problem I have with this book is that I was sent a different version with a different dust jacket which doesn't match the rest of the series. Doesn't change the words in the book, but I was upset when it arrived. I guess I'll have to try again with a different vendor and donate this copy to the library or something.